Religiously Motivated Murders – 2006

2006

Karachi; March 19, 2006: Sheikh Rafiq Ahmad, Ahmadi, aged 42, was murdered by armed attackers at his store, at about mid-day, in Manzoor Colony. He is survived by a widow and four orphans.

Sheikh Rafiq Ahmad owned a small shop in the locality. He arrived there at about 11 a.m. on March 19. Approximately an hour later two/three helmeted armed men arrived on a motor cycle. They shot him three times. He was hit in the head, the neck and abdomen. The assailants fled thereafter. Sheikh Rafiq was rushed to Jinnah Hospital where he expired at about 4 p.m. same day.

Sheikh Rafiq Ahmad was a good man. His financial dealings were above reproach. He had no personal vendetta with any one. He was, however, a practicing and well-known Ahmadi. He was not shy or afraid to convey the reality about Ahmadiyyat or its message of peaceful Islam. Earlier, in 1994, two Ahmadis were murdered for their faith in the same neighborhood. It is certain that Sheikh Rafiq was a victim in the same line.

The deceased is survived by 35 years-old widow, Ms Rehana Rafiq. All of their four children are below the teen age. They are Asees Ahmad 12, a son and three daughters Miss Mahira 11, Miss Ride 9 and Miss Manazza 7. They are all school going. The family feels devastated by the cruel and wanton attack.

Dr Mujib-ur-Rahman Pasha of Sanghar, Sindh

Sanghar, Sindh; May 7, 2006: Dr Mujib-ur-Rahman Pasha was assassinated at 21:10 outside his clinic by an armed assailant who had covered his face. The good doctor was son of Pir Fazlur Rahman, an ex-president of the Ahmadiyya community of District Sanghar. Dr Pasha was 43.

Dr Pasha was talking at the time with someone outside his clinic when the assailant arrived and fired at him from close quarters. The victim was hit in the head. His staff and close relatives rushed him to Hyderabad where he expired at about 23:30. Since then the police have been unable to trace the killer. The authorities know the clerics well who have been supportive of such murders in the past. It is almost certain that they planned and sponsored such murders, and they still continue to do so. However, the authorities do not question them for political reasons. There is a trend in Sindh, that it is Ahmadi doctors who are given priority as targets in such attacks.

Dr Pasha has left behind a widow and three children aged 10, 7 and 4. He had an excellent reputation among all sections of the society and was known as a competent doctor and a very sympathetic and helpful man.

Mr. Munawwar Ahmad of Gujrat

Gujrat; August 22, 2006: Mr. Munawwar Ahmad, M.A; B. Ed. an Ahmadi school teacher was killed in broad daylight at about 09:45 at his home.

Two unknown persons riding a motor-cycle came to his house. When he opened the door, they opened fire at him. He was hit by five bullets. The assailants fled after the attack. Mr. Ahmad was rushed to Aziz Bhatti Shaheed Hospital where he breathed his last. The police registered the case and is investigating.

Mr. Munawwar Ahmad was in the education field for almost 20 years. He was a good man, a practicing Ahmadi and a member of the executive committee of the city Ahmadiyya community. He has left behind a widow and three sons aged 3, 7 and 11 years.

It is well-known in criminal circles that the police rarely takes an Ahmadi murder seriously. This encourages religious thugs to undertake assassination of an Ahmadi. It is their practice to target well-placed Ahmadis, such as professionals, activists, community leaders etc. Since the promulgation of the anti-Ahmadiyya Ordinance XX eighty-two Ahmadis have been murdered at various occasions. Assassins, in 90% of these incidents, have remained untraced.

The complainant requested the police to register the murder under anti-terrorism law, but they refused to do so. A month later they arrested an Ahmadi printer of a printing press and charged him under the anti-terrorism clause, although the police could not point out the words or the paragraph or the essay that they termed objectionable. Such is the tyranny and dishonesty in the use of the so-called Anti-terrorism Law.